By John Blakely
In the third game of the season the Crew finally showed some passion. Some poise under pressure. They hosted FC Dallas on Friday and there was actually something for the Crew faithful to get excited about. Columbus totally controlled the final two thirds of the match and won by a 2-0 margin.
Up to this point in season it seemed like 2008, the year the Columbus won its first and only MLS cup, was more like thirty years ago than three. No one who had watched any portion of the Crew’s first two matches would have thought they were contenders for anything other than the TWTMAMLS (that is supposed to stand for the “Team With The Most Apathy in Major League Soccer”, but if you write it out, Twit Mammals, could be a reference to a new class of Mammals that only exists in the Twittersphere).
But the same is true of all mammals (whether dogs or twits), if they are sleeping let them lie. Jackson Goncalves was certainly not familiar with this expression. For he made it his two minute mission to aggressively and recklessly attack the Crew; in the 32′ minute he was called for a reckless foul and a minute later it was a reckless tackle that sent him to the showers early and changed the complexion of this match.
It was a different Crew team after Goncalves showed such disrespect. The fact that Dallas FC was playing 10 on 11 certainly didn’t hurt, but with the pride and spirit the Crew played with I’m not sure an extra man would have mattered. They scored there first home goal of the season on a Penalty Kick by Mendoza in the 55′ and there second in stoppage time came from Eddie Gaven.
It was another stellar game for goalie William Hesner, who has now gone 193 minutes with out allowing a goal. Hesner will have a good chance at extending his streak in the Crew’s next game when they travel to Los Angeles (actually Carson, which is like 30 miles south of Los Angeles) to face Chivas USA on 4/9. Chivas has managed just 3 goals in 3 games and has not looked together offensively.
In what is becoming a trend at Crew games, more celebrities were not spotted together. This week Mad Men’s voluptuous Christina Hendricks and actor Chris Noth (familiar to many as Carrie Bradshaw’s better half Mr. Big) did not wear matching Emmanuel Ekpo jerseys to the game.
Haiku Recap:
Playing with Passion
Crew shut out FC Dallas
Season looking up
